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Best Historical Fiction
The best of historical fiction. Historical fiction are novels that re-create a period or event and often use historical figures as some of its characters. To be deemed historical, a novel must have been written at least fifty years after the events described.
Score
A book’s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
| 601 |
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The Heart of the Lion
by
J.M. Barlog (Goodreads Author)
3.99 avg rating — 102 ratings
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| 602 |
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The Chronicle of Sapta Sindhu
by
Aporva Kala (Goodreads Author)
3.54 avg rating — 2,049 ratings
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| 603 |
|
The Coffee Trader
by
David Liss (Goodreads Author)
3.75 avg rating — 9,208 ratings
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| 604 |
|
Sharpe's Waterloo (Sharpe, #20)
by
Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author)
4.34 avg rating — 10,218 ratings
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| 604 |
|
Caleb's Crossing
by
Geraldine Brooks (Goodreads Author)
3.86 avg rating — 71,268 ratings
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| 606 |
|
The Field of Swords (Emperor, #3)
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4.31 avg rating — 18,464 ratings
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| 607 |
|
The Deception of the Emerald Ring (Pink Carnation, #3)
by
Lauren Willig (Goodreads Author)
3.91 avg rating — 10,077 ratings
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| 608 |
|
The Siege of Krishnapur (Empire Trilogy, #2)
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3.93 avg rating — 8,411 ratings
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| 609 |
|
Beyond the Moonlit Sea
by
Julianne MacLean (Goodreads Author)
4.15 avg rating — 48,321 ratings
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| 610 |
|
Zorro
by
Isabel Allende (Goodreads Author)
3.80 avg rating — 24,392 ratings
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| 611 |
|
At Road's End (Pre-Aztec #0.5)
by
Zoe Saadia (Goodreads Author)
3.85 avg rating — 321 ratings
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| 612 |
|
The Luxe (Luxe, #1)
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3.65 avg rating — 74,080 ratings
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| 613 |
|
The Land of Painted Caves (Earth's Children, #6)
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3.45 avg rating — 36,592 ratings
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| 614 |
|
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1)
by
Alan Bradley (Goodreads Author)
3.82 avg rating — 177,067 ratings
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| 615 |
|
All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy, #1)
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4.06 avg rating — 141,946 ratings
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| 616 |
|
The Little Stranger
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3.57 avg rating — 58,696 ratings
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| 617 |
|
The Bull from the Sea (Theseus, #2)
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4.09 avg rating — 4,190 ratings
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| 617 |
|
White Rose, Black Forest
by
Eoin Dempsey (Goodreads Author)
4.12 avg rating — 53,309 ratings
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| 619 |
|
The Furies (Kent Family Chronicles, #4)
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4.15 avg rating — 6,404 ratings
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| 620 |
|
Wide Sargasso Sea
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3.59 avg rating — 104,310 ratings
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| 621 |
|
Imperial Woman
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4.09 avg rating — 9,128 ratings
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| 622 |
|
A Column of Fire (Kingsbridge, #3)
by
Ken Follett (Goodreads Author)
4.26 avg rating — 122,212 ratings
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| 623 |
|
Celia Garth
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4.12 avg rating — 4,168 ratings
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| 624 |
|
Mariana
by
Susanna Kearsley (Goodreads Author)
4.08 avg rating — 26,144 ratings
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| 625 |
|
Exit Unicorns
by
Cindy Brandner (Goodreads Author)
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,424 ratings
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| 626 |
|
The Adventures of Charlie Smithers
by
C.W. Lovatt (Goodreads Author)
4.12 avg rating — 139 ratings
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| 627 |
|
The Glass Palace
by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 27,716 ratings
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| 628 |
|
The Feast of the Goat
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4.35 avg rating — 41,380 ratings
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| 629 |
|
Brokeback Mountain
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4.02 avg rating — 50,565 ratings
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| 630 |
|
Prayers for the Stolen
by
Jennifer Clement (Goodreads Author)
3.97 avg rating — 10,460 ratings
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| 631 |
|
The Silver Chalice
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4.11 avg rating — 4,448 ratings
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| 632 |
|
Circe
by
Madeline Miller (Goodreads Author)
4.22 avg rating — 1,297,520 ratings
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| 633 |
|
Wood, Talc and Mr. J
by
Chris Rose (Goodreads Author)
4.41 avg rating — 180 ratings
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| 634 |
|
The Secret Magdalene
by
Ki Longfellow (Goodreads Author)
4.14 avg rating — 4,720 ratings
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| 635 |
|
Sacred Hunger (Sacred Hunger #1)
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4.12 avg rating — 7,435 ratings
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| 635 |
|
Sacred Hearts
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3.79 avg rating — 13,388 ratings
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| 637 |
|
Lionheart (Plantagenets #4; Richard the Lionheart #1)
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4.11 avg rating — 7,758 ratings
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| 638 |
|
Daisy Jones & The Six
by
Taylor Jenkins Reid (Goodreads Author)
4.20 avg rating — 1,796,201 ratings
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| 639 |
|
Rules of Civility
by
Amor Towles (Goodreads Author)
4.09 avg rating — 264,978 ratings
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| 640 |
|
Pavilion of Women
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4.15 avg rating — 15,227 ratings
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| 641 |
|
Dragonwyck
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3.79 avg rating — 6,918 ratings
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| 642 |
|
The Quincunx
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4.02 avg rating — 8,123 ratings
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| 643 |
|
Andersonville
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4.10 avg rating — 8,327 ratings
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| 644 |
|
Timeline
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3.87 avg rating — 215,017 ratings
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| 645 |
|
Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold
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4.20 avg rating — 78,239 ratings
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| 645 |
|
Unswerving
by
Barbara Ridley (Goodreads Author)
4.25 avg rating — 16 ratings
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| 647 |
|
The Tudor Heresy (Mercenary For Hire #0.5)
by
Samantha Burnell (Goodreads Author)
3.77 avg rating — 347 ratings
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| 648 |
|
As Sure as the Dawn (Mark of the Lion, #3)
by
Francine Rivers (Goodreads Author)
4.41 avg rating — 46,448 ratings
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| 648 |
|
Longsword: Edward and the Assassin (Return of the son Book 1)
by
Dimitar Gyopsaliev (Goodreads Author)
4.11 avg rating — 207 ratings
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| 650 |
|
Cloud Atlas
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4.01 avg rating — 264,072 ratings
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| 651 |
|
Angels and Insects
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3.64 avg rating — 6,077 ratings
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| 652 |
|
Ana Rocha: Shadows of Justice
by
Ammar Habib (Goodreads Author)
4.24 avg rating — 5,511 ratings
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| 653 |
|
The Snow Child
by
Eowyn Ivey (Goodreads Author)
4.01 avg rating — 167,815 ratings
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| 654 |
|
Shaman (Cole Family Trilogy, #2)
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4.20 avg rating — 16,345 ratings
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| 655 |
|
Grave Goods (Mistress of the Art of Death, #3)
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4.11 avg rating — 12,255 ratings
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| 656 |
|
A Prayer for Owen Meany
by
John Irving (Goodreads Author)
4.24 avg rating — 333,630 ratings
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| 657 |
|
Night Angels
by
Weina Dai Randel (Goodreads Author)
4.22 avg rating — 16,972 ratings
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| 658 |
|
Evergreen (Werner Family Saga, #1)
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4.02 avg rating — 27,915 ratings
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| 659 |
|
Caravans
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4.12 avg rating — 9,262 ratings
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| 660 |
|
The Confusion (The Baroque Cycle, #2)
by
Neal Stephenson (Goodreads Author)
4.27 avg rating — 25,068 ratings
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| 661 |
|
Forever
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3.96 avg rating — 13,777 ratings
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| 661 |
|
Island Beneath the Sea
by
Isabel Allende (Goodreads Author)
4.11 avg rating — 45,764 ratings
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| 663 |
|
The Black Rose
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4.12 avg rating — 1,404 ratings
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| 664 |
|
Sharpe's Honor (Sharpe, #17)
by
Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author)
4.23 avg rating — 9,398 ratings
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| 665 |
|
Making Faces
by
Amy Harmon (Goodreads Author)
4.30 avg rating — 80,091 ratings
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| 666 |
|
Mudbound
by
Hillary Jordan (Goodreads Author)
4.05 avg rating — 69,922 ratings
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| 667 |
|
Arundel
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4.22 avg rating — 1,738 ratings
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| 668 |
|
Khan: Empire of Silver (Conqueror, #4)
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4.34 avg rating — 15,998 ratings
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| 669 |
|
A Soldier of the Great War
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4.33 avg rating — 7,899 ratings
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| 670 |
|
My Cousin Rachel
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4.01 avg rating — 66,876 ratings
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| 671 |
|
Child of the Morning
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4.14 avg rating — 4,507 ratings
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| 672 |
|
Sarah (Canaan, #1)
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3.74 avg rating — 9,953 ratings
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| 673 |
|
As Meat Loves Salt
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3.93 avg rating — 6,166 ratings
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| 674 |
|
The Winter Palace (Catherine #1)
by
Eva Stachniak (Goodreads Author)
3.60 avg rating — 14,410 ratings
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| 675 |
|
The Whiskey Rebels
by
David Liss (Goodreads Author)
3.90 avg rating — 7,856 ratings
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| 675 |
|
Maybe Tomorrow
by
Patricia McCain (Goodreads Author)
4.59 avg rating — 49 ratings
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| 677 |
|
Winter in Madrid
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3.87 avg rating — 18,903 ratings
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| 678 |
|
America's First Daughter
by
Stephanie Dray (Goodreads Author)
4.23 avg rating — 67,013 ratings
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| 679 |
|
The Masque of the Black Tulip (Pink Carnation, #2)
by
Lauren Willig (Goodreads Author)
3.92 avg rating — 11,581 ratings
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| 680 |
|
The Americans (Kent Family Chronicles, #8)
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4.27 avg rating — 5,342 ratings
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| 681 |
|
Briar Rose
by
Jane Yolen (Goodreads Author)
3.79 avg rating — 15,014 ratings
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| 682 |
|
Julian
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4.23 avg rating — 8,033 ratings
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| 683 |
|
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
by
Beth Hoffman (Goodreads Author)
3.96 avg rating — 87,030 ratings
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| 684 |
|
Lords of the White Castle (FitzWarin, #2)
by
Elizabeth Chadwick (Goodreads Author)
4.24 avg rating — 2,655 ratings
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| 685 |
|
Above the Bay of Angels
by
Rhys Bowen (Goodreads Author)
4.20 avg rating — 31,756 ratings
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| 686 |
|
Three Day Road (Bird Family Trilogy, #1)
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4.28 avg rating — 25,657 ratings
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| 687 |
|
The Master Butchers Singing Club
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4.07 avg rating — 26,072 ratings
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| 688 |
|
The Singing Trees
by
Boo Walker (Goodreads Author)
4.23 avg rating — 44,611 ratings
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| 689 |
|
Lieutenant Hornblower (Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order, #2)
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4.32 avg rating — 13,335 ratings
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| 690 |
|
Lady of the Forest
by
Jennifer Roberson (Goodreads Author)
3.86 avg rating — 3,079 ratings
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| 690 |
|
Taliesin (The Pendragon Cycle #1)
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4.01 avg rating — 18,144 ratings
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| 690 |
|
Leo Africanus
by
Amin Maalouf (Goodreads Author)
4.21 avg rating — 16,279 ratings
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| 693 |
|
1876
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3.85 avg rating — 3,327 ratings
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| 694 |
|
Morality Play
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3.78 avg rating — 4,460 ratings
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| 695 |
|
The Thin Red Line
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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 14,324 ratings
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| 695 |
|
East of Eden
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4.43 avg rating — 611,628 ratings
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| 697 |
|
Dark Fire (Matthew Shardlake, #2)
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4.30 avg rating — 31,958 ratings
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| 698 |
|
Carter Beats the Devil
by
Glen David Gold (Goodreads Author)
4.09 avg rating — 14,018 ratings
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| 698 |
|
The Son
by
Philipp Meyer (Goodreads Author)
4.03 avg rating — 37,398 ratings
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| 700 |
|
Lady of the Glen
by
Jennifer Roberson (Goodreads Author)
3.92 avg rating — 1,423 ratings
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3511 likes · Like
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Comments Showing 1-50 of 334 (334 new)
message 1:
by
Celeste
(new)
Aug 21, 2008 01:09PM
The classic historical fiction novel. Couldn't put it down!
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The best. Couldn't stop until I had read the entire series.
The Whiskey Rebels (by David Liss) should be on the list. Though I must say the list itself is sketchy. Just because a book takes place in some moment of time past does not make it historical fiction. The Kite Runner? What is that doing on here?
Good point, Charlotte.For example, I love Pride and Prejudice, but I didn't vote for it, as it is not a historical novel - Jane Austen was writing about her own time.
Flags of Our Fathers. Definately not fiction.
Where are the Norah Lofts books? She writes great historical fiction.
I don't think people are understanding what historical fiction is. If a book was written in the 1800's and it is based in that time frame, then would you consider it historical fiction? I would not. Historical fiction takes historical events (or figures)and creates fictionalized stories either centering on them or surronding them.
Agreed. Historical fiction refers to a time not your own featuring people, events & movements of the time & place re-created in a fictional story of your making. A generation before is time enough, IMHO.
Win Blevins's STONE SONG dserves to be recognized as a great book
I am ashamed that I even have read historical fiction.
I came here to vote after finding so many brilliant works of art on The Worst Book list. And here I find so many books that are in no way "historical." As already said, many of the above books (and many I love) were written in and of their times. So I could not vote for them. I read all genres (pretty much) but what to me is the best of that genre, so I am in no way embarrassed to read this one.
Middlesex? Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell? Like Water for Chocolate? Who made this list? Oh well, I enjoyed perusing it and found many new books to add to my "to-read" list.
It was made by the people, or at least the people here on this site who bothered to take the time to contribute. Obviously a massing of individual minds isn't going to match your personal tastes. These lists would be boring and hardly worth looking at if they did.
Rusty wrote: "I am ashamed that I even have read historical fiction. "Why? Have you read any Shakespeare? Or perhaps Homer? 
I (and my husband) read, or actually listened to audio recordings, of all the Sharp series, and just loved them. Cornwell is the only author who ever made me "see" a battle.
"Night" is NOT historical fiction. It's not even fiction ... it's the true story of Elie Wiesel's experiences during the Holocaust. So historical non-fiction would be a better category for it, evne though it doesn't technically exist. Please remove it from this list- I LOVE that book, but it doesn't fall in this category.
well I saw several historical fiction books I've read and though not my favorite I understand why they are on the list and I see a few I plan on reading shortly, I think it's great that someone compiled this list.
I really like the concept of the book cementary and given the responasbily to keep the books safe..
Manuel wrote: "I really like the concept of the book cementary and given the responasbily to keep the books safe.."Are you talking about the Cemetary of Books in the "Shadow of the the Wind"?
Lordy Lordy but this list is well out of kilter.ETA I am talking about the objective scoring, not the subjective comments. *waves white flag at Alice, who thought I was dissing a viewpoint* lol
And here I find so many books that are in no way "historical."Lola, I noticed that too. Despite the clear definition/description of "historical fiction" at the top there, I'm seeing all kinds of odd books here - Alexandre Dumas, for example, while one of my favourites, was writing not all that long after the Napoleonic War.
Books written during or shortly after the period in which they were set, but 50 years before our own, are generally termed "classics", not historical fiction.
I don't know how these lists work - is there a way of editing it?
Well, some of Dumas is historical fiction - like The Three Musketeers - but a lot of it isn't. The Count of Monte Cristo, for example.Shannon - I think only the creator of the list can edit it (excluding changing one's own votes, of course).
Any librarian can edit the list in order to remove books. However, GoodReads is REALLY strict about only removing books that without a doubt don't fit the category, as they don't want people to just remove books they don't like.I've removed "Anne of Green Gables" and "The Little House" collection. While both great books/series, they were written close to the time they took place and therefore don't fit the definition of historical fiction. There are a LOT of others I'm unsure about though.
Count of Monte Cristo was the one I was thinking of, Susanna, and his book on Napoleon. I actually forgot about the Musketeers!!Since anyone can add a book to a list, it stands to reason it could be removed as well. I don't see that function but I'm seeing far fewer non-historical books here than yesterday. Some are more science fiction than historical fiction, not that you can't straddle genres, but a lot of these are giving me a double-take. I personally don't want to change anything, unless it was glaringly obvious.
Shannon, at the very top of the list, immediately following the list description, there is a small (edit) link - very non-descript, very easy to miss.This link allows you to delete books one at a time.
I did see that, but I thought it was just for the intro description. Makes sense though!
All Quiet on the Western Front is historical fiction? It was written in the 20s, about the teens. Great book, but I wouldn't vote for it here.
What exactly is a "historical fiction" book? I thought all those books Courtney put down were historical and so I voted for the one I liked best. I don't really have a big vocabulary, so I am not sure what most of you guys were saying. =/
A work of historical fiction is a novel that is set in the past, Catherine.
Thank you for the comment I guess. =D
I didn't read through everyone's comments, so I'm not sure if this was mentioned already, but Elie Wiesel's "Night" is not historical FICTION. In fact, it was based on his own experiences in the Holocaust. It is a very touching, beautifully written book for anyone else who likes WWII non-fiction.
Most all of these are NOT historical fiction, IMO. Historical fiction novels are fictional accounts about real people in historical situations. Most mentioned here are simply period pieces. Examples of historical fiction include Mary Renault's The Persian Boy about Alexander the Great's chamberlain and catamite Bagoas; Family Favorites by Alfred Duggan, a fictional biography of Elagabalus; I, Claudius by Robert Graves about the 1st 5 Caesar's and Julian]by Gore Vidal about Julian II, a 4th century CE Roman emperor...
Some like The Mists of Avalon mentioned above and many other modern Arthurian tales are mythic fiction, not historical fiction.
Definitions vary; they clearly have here.
Susanna wrote: "A work of historical fiction is a novel that is set in the past."Not just our past but the past of the author too. Many of the examples in the list are simply books that are not contemporary to us and are, by no stretch of the imagination 'historical fiction.' The works of Jane Austen, for instance, are not historical fiction because she was writing about her own times. For a work to be historical it has to be set by the author in a time that precedes their own. It is arguable too that a book set in the author's imagined future does not belong in this category, like 1984. Such works are wholly imagined and not related to an historical reality.
As so do I Susanna, but maybe the author of this here list put Pride and Prejudice in because it is history to us now. I think that is something authors of the past and future sometimes forget funnily enough, unless you mock whole nations, the works you create will be around for a very long time. Susanna wrote: "Good point, Charlotte.
For example, I love Pride and Prejudice, but I didn't vote for it, as it is not a historical novel - Jane Austen was writing about her own time."
Antonia Fraser's The Wives of Henry VIII isn't even fiction! It's straight biography, and a very good one.
I look to historical fiction to take the facts (Henry VIII had 8 wives, most of whom died) and put real faces and real people behind those facts, explain how a real person could do the things they did or make the decisions they madeWhich historical fiction book is this an outline of please?
The Devil in the White City is NOT historical fiction. Eric Larson writes NON-FICTION!And some of these others I question whether they are "historical fiction" - they take place at a certain time in history and they are fiction. But that doesn't make them "historical fiction."
Maybe I just take my historical fiction too literally.
Jan wrote: "The Devil in the White City is NOT historical fiction. Eric Larson writes NON-FICTION!And some of these others I question whether they are "historical fiction" - they take place at a certain ti..."
Well, Larson does write fiction as well...
:O)
... but I get your point on this particular work - 300+ readers have it on the fiction shelf. I bet he's nearly as mad about it all as you are.
I guess it's sort of a compliment, as people "who don't read non-fiction" always want "non-fiction that reads like fiction."
To the best of my knowledge (and Wikipedia's as well) Erik Larson does not write fiction. He has worked for newspapers, he has taught non-fiction writing and, as far as I can tell, as only written non-fiction.
People may well read him as though he is fiction. Many think that non-fiction is dry and dull. I know many though Seabiscuit by Hillenbrand was fiction. But maybe these books can help bring people into the light. (jk)
Jan wrote: "To the best of my knowledge (and Wikipedia's as well) Erik Larson does not write fiction. He has worked for newspapers, he has taught non-fiction writing and, as far as I can tell, as only writ..."
Jan , is his profile on GR wrong? It states that he writes mysteries and thrillers as well but I cannot see any publications along those lines.
Colonel Charles Dahnmon Whitt has a new (Historic-Fiction) out. It is a 580 page hardback relating to the years from 1836 to 1900. It is based on an appalachian and his family as they live in the 1800's in Virginia and Kentucky. It also covers his service as a Confederate in Company H, of the 29th. Virginia Infantry. It is a day to day history where the folks come to life and keep you wondering, What's next? "Legacy, The Days of David Crockett Whitt" is the name of this narrative. Get it at dahnmonwhittfamily.com
WILL SOMEONE WITH SMARTS AND SKILLS PLEASE PLEASE PRUNE THIS LIST DOWN TO HISTORICAL FICTION. Without limitation, no definition. As Alan Turing famously said, Information is Entropy (Boundless information eventually becomes no information at all).Sadly, we must either cut The Crucible and Inherit the Wind......or let in ALL of Shakespeare's history plays.
Animal Farm is historical fiction?I cleaned out a lot of the non-fiction.
Stephanie wrote: "Middlesex? Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell? Like Water for Chocolate? Who made this list? Oh well, I enjoyed perusing it and found many new books to add to my "to-read" list. "Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrell is historical fiction. The fictional elements including the historical use of magic in Britain, and the use of magic at that time in Britain. But the rest of the book is historical in setting and events, including the Napoleonic Wars. Remember, these aren't history books, but works of fiction that use history as a basis.
Is it historical fiction if it was contemporary at the time it was written? Some stuff on this list really confused me.
To my mind - if it was contemporary at the time it was written, it is not historical fiction.
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